Traditional Dances from the Philippines

Itik-Itik

The Itik-Itik dance is popular among the Visayans of the province of

Surigao del Norte. It has many variations of steps from which the dancers
choose and combine. Its steps are like the movements of a duck (itik, in
Filipino), as it walks with short, choppy steps and splashes water on its
back while attracting its mate. It is used in folk dances in different
parts of the Philippines.

The dance is believed to have originated from the dance Sibay danced to
the Dejado music. The Sibay is a bird dance that came from neighboring
Visayan Islands. Philippine dance authority Reynaldo Gamboa Alejandro
identified that Visayan Island to be Samar. True enough, since a 1668 book
written by Fr. Ignacio Alzina (a Jesuit missionary to Samar) described a
‘bird imitating dance’ popular in Samar then, the Sabay. According to Fr.
Alcina the dance imitates flying birds. An illustration in that same book
had a caption: “su danza para hombre y mujer” (dance for man and woman);
very appropriate for the characteristic Waray amenudo dances.

The present form of the Itik-itik is from Carmen, Lanuza, Cantillan, and
Carrascal towns of the present-day Surigao del Norte province in the
Caraga Region. A tale says that a lady named Kanang came up with the
popular version. Dancing in one baptismal party, Kanang grew so spirited
that when ducks from nearby pond caught her eye, she imitated their
movements. The spectators found her dance so interesting that they
themselves imitated her. The rest is history.

Despite the popularity of the Itik-itik Surigaonon, there are also other
versions of the dance found mainly in Visayas. One version from Samar is
danced to the same music. Two other versions came from Sibonga, Cebu, and
Tibiao, Antique.